Alex's New Life
by Ramona Fox
Summary: Alex and the Pleasures are in witness protection after Alex is recognized. So far, so good. But someone thinks there might be more to "Josh" than meets the eye.
1. Chapter 1

Lexi was feeling pretty down. It was lunch, and the person whom she usually talked to was home sick with a bad cold. The person in question, Juliet, was also her dissection partner in biology. Today had been crayfish, and Lexi was still feeling the lingering effects of nausea. Today she sat outside between two of the church/school buildings, both to lessen the ill feeling, and to avoid the clatter in the other two designated eating areas.

Lexi glanced at her phone and started packing up her lunch. Next was English. then P.E. followed by history.

 _Josh will be there._ a small voice whispered inside her head. A faint fluttering sensation in her chest and the feeling that her cheeks were warm came in wake of the thought. Josh, her crush of several months, was only a few inches taller than her, just short of six feet. He had blond hair and a slightly muscular physique, although he claimed not to play sports _or_ take karate. He was also in the same English and history classes as Lexi, but she had a sneaking suspicion that if her P.E. class were open to boys, he would be in it.

Lexi didn't have the chance to talk to Josh in English, due to the assigned seating, and when she finally arrived at history, she gave a mental sigh. Both of relief and dread. Lexi was sweaty and exhausted. History class always had a quiz, and she wasn't to optimistic because of her trouble with names and dates.

Alex leaned the folding chair back as Lexi took her seat. History was his favorite subject. " Hey, Josh." Alex looked up. "How are your arms?" It was Lexi. "They're fine." Alex replied. After Alex had been adopted by the Pleasures, Snakehead had come after him. Soon he found himself living in Woodstock, Georgia as part of the witness protection program. His new alias was Josh Ryner.

As for Lexi's question, his arms had been injured over winter break on a mission for the CIA. Not broken, but covered in scratches. Some of them were pretty deep. Alex had told her that he ran into a barbed wire fence when he was riding a bike without breaks. It was half true, at least. But every time Alex told her the story, she got a look about her. Most people wouldn't have been able to tell, but Alex sensed fascination, disbelief, and concern.

Lexington turned her attention to the class. She didn't really believe Josh, of course. But she knew better than to flaunt her disbelief. She had pressed Josh for details, trying to appear only a concerned classmate, but she was pretty sure Josh had noted her concern, and possibly, her attraction.

Alex finished his presentation and sat down. Every one had presented on something with significance in world war two. Every thing from important persons and battles to weaponry and Navajo code-talkers.

Alex's report had been on the battle of Bulges. Now that he was in the USA, he had discovered his interest in history. In fact, with an unusual curriculum, he was quite good at it.

After class, Lexi came up to him. "Hey, Josh?" she looked uncomfortable and nervous. Alex looked up at her "Yeah." Lexi continued "Do you think that perhaps we could meet at the Greenwoods Library Saturday? To study for the test?"

Alex considered that. He wasn't meant to appear in public if it could be avoided, but he was starting to feel smothered. And it wasn't like he had anything better to do.

Alex smiled. "Sure. What time?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! So, I'm sorry if I am a late updater. I will try to get the next chapter up faster, but no promises. Sorry, my seclude is highly unpredictable.**

 **Anyway, the response to my first chapter was overwhelmingly positive for a newbie like myself, so my most sincere thanks.**

 **Side note- I don't own Alex Rider. If i did, the series would probably have a slightly less ambiguous ending.**

 **Yours truly,**

 _ **Ramona Fox**_

Alex arrived at the library at 9:55, entering through the automatic doors. The library had not been what he had expected. It was newly built, airy and filled with light from sky lights and windows. The whole adult section was surrounded by glass overlooking a park, and wooden statues dotted the room.

Alex turned to see Lexi walking up to him. "Cool, huh? They finished construction a few months ago." Lexi looked completely in her element, and she had lost the slight tensity she had every other time he saw her. "Come on, I reserved a study nook for a few hours. It's this way." And Lexi led him deeper into the library.

"So, have you got a library card?" Lexi asked as she navigated towards the study area. "No." Josh replied. Lexi frowned. Each library card had one hour of computer time per day. Two hours might be overkill, but she had reserved the nook for five hours. Of coarse, if the study session ended early, she only needed to tell the librarian and the small room would be available to others. But it might be more difficult to find information if the internet wasn't an option.

"See that computer?" Lexi paused to point out the almost futuristic-looking screen and keyboard. When she saw Josh's gaze had landed on it, she continued. "You don't need a library card to use it, and you can search for helpful books that are at this library. It will tell you where to find them."

Lexi wondered vaguely why Josh wouldn't get a library card. It would only take a few minutes. Lexi didn't like giving personal information to people, but she trusted those whom she gave it to. Within reason. That was why she gave her number out. But there was a different kind of trust for Josh and the library. The library was familiar and comforting, but hardly secure. Josh, well, Lexi instinctively felt she could trust him with her life.

Josh was a mystery, and she wanted to know her trust was not misplaced.

Alex felt uneasy. The 'study nook', as Lexi had put it, was glass facing the library and had windows facing the street and sidewalk. It was a perfect position for a sniper. "Can I close the shades?" He asked.

Lexi looked up in surprise. "Sure." She seemed confused at first, but then glanced out the window and a flash of understanding crossed her face before she turned back to making flash cards from a timeline they had found online.

Sometimes Alex wondered how much she might really know.

Lexi glanced at the clock. "Hey, Josh." She said. Josh looked up from the book he had been reading, _World War Two in Fifty Pictures_ , and met her gaze. "It's almost lunch time. There are a couple restaurants on the other side of the street, Mexican and a cafe. Or the library has vending machines."

"Is it okay to leave the building? Won't we loose our spot?" Josh's voice always seemed to have an oddly calming quality to it, something Lexi found rather endearing. She felt her cheeks grow warm, but knew it wouldn't show. Fortunately.

"No." Lexi shook her head. "The librarian should keep it reserved if we tell him we're just leaving for lunch. If we don't take to long, anyway."


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so I've been thinking about how often I want to update. I'm going to aim for once in every three-week period. So, that should be the time frame. At least until I either finish the story, or due to unforeseen circumstances. And you should hear from me before then.**

 **Alright, on with the story!**

 _ **Ramona Fox**_

The restaurant was a much more secure environment. It wasn't very busy, and the dim lighting hid their booth in the back.

Alex had only been to a Mexican restaurant once before. It had been shortly after he first arrived in America with the Pleasures. Not long after Jack's death.

Lexi must have noticed his shift in attitude, because she said "Hey, are you okay? You've got this look on your face, like you're brooding about something."

Alex managed a shaky smile. "Yes. I'm fine."

"Come on, what is it? Spill. Something has been eating at you for a while now, and its not like l am going to tell anyone." Lexi stared intently at Josh, awaiting his reply.

Josh, clearly startled, just looked at her for a few moments. "It's nothing." He said quickly.

"Liar. I know that expression. Its the same one I get when someone asks me about something that hurts so much that I'm afraid I'll start crying if I talk about it."

Alex was stunned. Lexi had hit the nail on the head. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "You know that I was adopted, right" This went with his cover, so it would be okay to tell her.

"It doesn't surprise me." She didn't elaborate.

After a short pause, he continued. "My parents died when I was little, so my uncle adopted me. After he died, my older cousin, Jack, took me in."

Alex took a deep breath. He was shaking slightly. "She was like a sister to me, but nearly two years ago, she died." He struggled to find words. "I was stupid. I wasn't careful, we were kidnapped, and she was killed trying to get us out."

Alex looked up at Lexi, trying to read her reaction. She was silent for a long while before she spoke. "You blame yourself?" A statement, not a question. Alex nodded almost inseparably.

Another thoughtful pause, then she spoke. "I can't really say that I understand what your're going through-" she spoke slowly, measured, as if to be sure of her words. "but if you ever want to talk about it, I won't judge you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, there will be some time-skipping here, 'cuz I'm impatient.**

 **Sorry if I'm doing Sabina wrong. I think that the relationship between Alex and Sabina would not have survived Egypt. So they are more like cousins. And this took a long time. So sorry.**

 **Also, thank you to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story.**

 **Yours truly,**  
 _ **Ramona Fox**_  
~~~~~~~~

Lexi sat at her desk, worrying. Had she said the wrong thing? Did Josh hate her? It had been three weeks sense the first study session. She had seen Josh at school and met him twice more at the library. But each time, he was distant, wary, as if he thought she would laugh at him.

Lexi hated it. She needed Josh, the enigma of Josh had realy helped her feel alive again. She hadn't felt that way for a long time. Now Josh probably never wanted to see her again. Lexi would be left with nothing but memories and a far-to-empty house.

Alex was at the kitchen table, lost in thought. He looked up as Sabina entered the room.  
"Hey." She said as she sat down across from him.

"Sabina, how do you tell what someone is thinking?" The question seemed to take her off guard. She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Lexi. She said, ' I know that expression. Its the same one I get when someone asks me about something that hurts so much that I'm afraid I'll start crying if I talk about it' and she was right." Alex explained.

Sabina shifted uncomfortably. "I guess it means that she has been through something that took her childhood, too. I don't really know."

After that there was silence, as Alex pondered the new development.

School the next morning was awkward. Lexi and Alex kept glancing at the other when they thought it would go unnoticed. Lexi broke three pencils accidentally, and Alex was distracted all morning.

Lexi sat by herself at lunch. Juliet was gone-again. This time it was a trip to the Florida Keys. She watched as Josh sat down at a table, thoughts churning in her head. Was Josh mad at her? Did he regret telling her what he did?

Suddenly, Josh looked up, meeting her gaze. Lexi looked away.

A minute later, someone sat down across from her. Lexi glanced upwards. It was Josh.

Lexi took a breath. _Best say it now, and get it over with._ She thought resignedly. "Are you mad?"

Josh considered her question. "Mad crazy, or mad angry? Because I am defiantly crazy."

Lexi wasn't sure he was kidding, but said; "Are you angry at me?"

Josh frowned. "No." Then his eyes widened. "Wait, you thought I was mad? That's why you've been so quiet?"

Lexi nodded. "You aren't mad at me for prying?"

"I thought I scared you off with what I said." He confessed.

A slow smile spread across Lexi's face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Yes, my chapters are short. I know.**

 **But hey, this is my first fan fiction, and I'm working on it.**

 **But that means it takes longer. SO. MUCH. LONGER.**

 **Three weeks is** _ **SO**_ **not enough time.**

 **That and I am terible at conversations and interhuman contact. Why did I choose a romance?**

 **And in case anyone has forgotten, I do not own** **Alex Rider.**

 **Also, if anyone can figure out:**

 **A: how the line break thingies work, or**

 **B: The way to give proper MLA format credit for stuff you use for fan fiction, or**

 **C: How to use the review feature (I know this one, but do you?)**

 **Please share your knowledge, or even better, demonstrate how to use the review thingie.**

 **(I can't get the Beta thingie to work either.)**

 **This took way to long.**

 **TTFN**

 _ **Ramona Fox**_

Lexi sat in the cafe, sipping herbal tea. Blueberry-pomegranate. No sugar. It had been two weeks sense the started talking again. She and Josh had decided to meet, not for school, but just to talk. Lexi frowned. Was this a date? What were the qualifications of a date anyway? It didn't mater if Josh didn't show up. Lexi had arrived ten minutes early, and Josh was late.

The ringing of a bell sent ripples through the air, indicating the opening of the cafe's wooden door. Two people entered, Josh and another girl. She was slightly shorter than Lexi, with dark hair and blue eyes. Caucasian, and around fifteen or sixteen.

The pair walked over to Lexi's seat. Lexi raised an eyebrow at Josh, a talent she had picked up from her mother.

"Sorry for being late, I told Josh that if he was going on a date, he needed to have a chaperon." The girl said. Then she held out her hand. "I'm Sally Ryner, Josh's sister."

Lexi stood, taking Sally's hand, and trying to remember the rules of introduction that she had learned in a business preparation class. _Smile, eye contact, hand out straight, good posture, firm grip. Name, first and last, and say something pleasant._

"Hi, I'm Lexington Carter, but you can call me Lexi. Nice to meet you."

Sabina looked Lexi up and down. Lexi sat straight in her chair, legs crossed, smiling. She was treating this as if it were an interview or formal occasion, not a meeting in a cafe.

Huh. Sabina soon discovered that Lexi was surprisingly good at making small talk. the conversation went something like this:

"So, Lexi, why are you interested in dating my brother?"

"Well, I'm not so sure this counts as a date. we're just friends. But if we _do_ end up dating, I would say that aside from his physical attractiveness, I find his personality both endearing and intriguing."

The girls talked for fifteen more minutes, Sabina deciding that she approved of Lexi enough that Sabina wouldn't file a restraining order. Even if she did seem a little stiff.

"Alright, it's about time for me to leave." Sabina said.

"Drive carefully" Alex said.

Both girls stood and shook hands. "Nice meeting you, Sally." Sabina nodded. "Nice to meet you too, Lexi."

Lexi sighed as she sat down. She hadn't known Sally was coming, but Lexi thought she had passed the overprotective sibling test. Lexi took a sip of her tea and grimaced internally. It was cold.

"So I passed?" Lexi asked Josh, who had been sitting silently through the whole conversation.

Across the street, a man set down a long-distance camera. Slowly, carefully, he hooked it up to the laptop. He downloaded the picture onto the computer. The picture was a high-definition image of a boy and a girl, sitting in a cafe, the girl raising an eyebrow at the boy who was obviously uncomfortable, and trying not to show it.

The man chuckled, a cold, rather foreboding sound. He had been lucky. This photograph and information could make him a rich man overnight. He had found Alex Rider.


	6. Chapter 6

**Dear goodness, where am I going with this?**

 **Also, I still can't get the Beta thingy to work. That means my work thus far is entirely un-Betaed. You have been warned.**

 **I do not own Alex Rider. I do have a cat. He sleeps by my feet when I write fan fiction. I like it better in winter.**

 **More reviews mean that I get more inspiration. Otherwise, you may only get stories about my cat. (Not that I won't tell you folks anyway, but you probably want AR with it.)**

 **Also the type of pasta mentioned is also called 'butterfly' or 'bowtie' pasta; because of its shape, not because there are bugs in it.**

 **This is a two- part chapter. I promise.**

 **(Ten points if you can tell me where the quote is from)**

 **So long, farewell, Auf Widersehen, goodnight,**

 **~Ramona Fox**

Lexi was excited. It was Friday night, well; evening, and she and Josh were going on a date. Two months. They had been dating for two months. Ever sense that rather awkward cafe meeting.

It was Lexi's last opportunity to be with Josh before a week-long mission trip to Honduras, and Josh said he had something special planned.

As Lexi hurried to put on the last of her minimal makeup, a car drove up in front of the house. She could hear the engine stop as the car turned off, and a door slammed as someone exited the vehicle. Lexi shoved the makeup into a bag and ran down the stairs to the front door, where Josh was talking to her dad.

Lexi caught a bit of the conversation as she came up. "She has to be back by ten, eleven at the latest, and if you do anything she doesn't like..." "Yes sir, I understand perfectly. Back before ten. Nothing you wouldn't approve of."

Lexi smiled as she came up to the pair. "Dad, you aren't trying to scare off my boyfriend, are you?"

Her dad pulled her into a protective hug. "Of course I am. You're my little girl; I've got to protect you." His voice was half joking, half serious.

"Be back before ten, and if he tries anything..." "Dad!" Lexi protested, "I'm not helpless. I _have_ taken self-defense lessons."

"When you were eight."

"It's like riding a bike. You never forget."

"I had to teach you how to ride a bike twice."

" _That_ is beside the point."

"Alright, alright, go before I change my mind."

"Thanks, Dad. I love you."

"I love you too, pumpkin. Be safe."

As soon as the two teenagers got in the car, Josh let out a relieved sigh. "I think dads might be scarier than terrorist organizations."

Lexi smothered a smile, saying, perfectly straight-faced, "Unless, you know, it's a terrorist organization made of dads angry at you for breaking their daughter's hearts."

Josh laughed as the two buckled in and Josh started the ignition.

"So, where are we headed?" Lexi asked from the passenger seat.

Alex smiled. "First a movie, then dinner."

Alex couldn't believe that this was happening. For once, he was a regular teenage boy, going out with his girlfriend. Witness protection might be one of the best things that ever happened to him. The CIA had used him a grand total of once since he had been in the program. And really, there was no way that they could have used anyone else. The mission hadn't even disrupted his school calendar.

Things really were looking up for Alex. He should have known better.

They had dinner at Olive Garden; Lexi had minestrone soup, and Alex had farfalla pasta with sauce and meatballs. After dinner, while Alex was waiting for the check, he pulled out a small box, handing it to Lexi.

Alex smiled, shy and nervous. _Save the world, sure, I can do that. Stop a terrorist organisation? I do that about once a month. Go on a date? I start sweating through my cloths._ Lexi opened the box, pulling out the bracelet inside. It was simple, with dark, round wooden beads. "Do you like it? It's for Honduras." Alex said. Lexi smiled. "I love it. It's perfect."

The movie, _Spirit_ , was one of Lexi's favorites, which Alex had discovered at one of their study sessions at the library. It was an old movie, and Lexi had never seen it on the big screen before. Their seats were great, near the back of the theater, so Alex could see anyone coming, and near the center, for a better view. They sat next to each other, holding hands. The movie wasn't even halfway through when everything went wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

**And here's part two.**

 **Thank you to my Guest reviewer, who approves of my cat stories. Special thanks to Athena1919 from Wattpad, who helped edit this. Thank you to the rest of you to. Reviewers, Followers, and Readers alike; this chapter is for you.**

 **I don't own Alex Rider. Nor do I own** _ **Spirit**_ **, or the songs that are in it. My cat doesn't like thunder. Or strangers. Sorry, Guest, that applies to you too.**

 **Ha ha. The picture is a jellyfish. Which is weird, but perfect.**

 **Let me know if you have any advice or if you think I should fix the spacing in the first chapter.**

 **Thanks a million,**

 **-Ramona Fox**

Ironically, or perhaps fittingly, it was in the middle of the song 'You Can't Take Me' that they were kidnaped.

Several dark shapes, men judging by their silhouettes, entered the theatre. They seeped into the main passageways. Lexi felt Josh tense. Then she noticed the silhouettes, moving in a way that one would expect to find at a military base, not a cinema.

Suddenly, a shot rang out. The movie stopped. The lights came on. Everyone blinked. That hadn't been part of the movie.

"Alright," the man's harsh voice seemed to echo in the deathly silence of the theatre. "If the boy who calls himself Josh Ryner would come with us quietly, no one has to get hurt." The man lowered his hand, which was holding a modern handgun, and pointed it at the audience. "But if anyone tries to play hero... well.." He left the sentence hanging.

Lexi tightened her grip on Josh's hand, praying silently as she nervously eyed the other dark silhouettes. Men, as she has guessed, dressed in all black, she couldn't pinpoint their ethnic origins. In their hands, they had M-16 assault rifles that Lexi recognised from her report on the weaponry in the Vietnam war. Not good. _Why Josh?_ A small part of her rational thinking asked. _Definitely not good. Dad is gonna kill us both. If we don't die first._

Alex could feel Lexi's hand tighten around his. _Damn it, this cover was meant to be watertight, or so they said._

The men who had burst into the theatre had effectively blocked all the exits, and with their weapons, Alex had no doubt that they would kill everyone in the theatre before he could escape. He had no choice. Slowly Alex removed his hand from Lexi's, trying to ignore the look she have him.

Alex stood and walked down the row of seats toward the men, raising his hands to his head, inconspicuously twinsing the gem on his ring, causing it to emit a distress signal. Lexi followed him like a shadow. When Alex reached the man with the handgun, who was obviously the leader, the two men who had been standing on either side of their leader grabbed Alex, after a short, "Secure him," from their leader.

Lexi fixed the leader of the men with her best glare, pumping as much anger and venom into her voice as she could. "You're _ruining_ our _date_." She growled.

The man looked at her almost as if he hadn't seen her. He glanced at some of his subordinates, and said, "Actually, she might be entertaining. Take the girl too."

A man who had handed his rifle to one of his coworkers had come up behind Lexi, wrapping his arms around her, and pinning Lexi's arms to her sides. Lexi's legs seemed to buckle, and she dropped, the man lost his balance trying to support the unexpected weight. Then Lexi stood just as suddenly as she had fallen, the back of her head connecting with the man's nose. The man staggered back, his hand over his nose, blood seeping through his fingers.

A hand clamped over Alex's mouth and nose before he could do anything, the cloth that the hand held was covered in chloroform, and the last thing Alex saw was a dazed Lexi receiving a similar treatment.


	8. Chapter 8

**I don't own Alex Rider. My cat is irritated with me because I hugged him like a teddy bear and sobbed while writing this chapter.**

 **Thanks to Athena1919.**

 **Enough said.**

 **TTFN,**

 **~Ramona**

Alex woke with his head and shoulders in Lexi's lap, his head pounding. "Hey," she said quietly, removing a hand from her temple to run it through his hair. "You okay?"

For the most part, Lexi appeared unharmed, save for a few small bruises and red rimmed-eyes.

Alex groaned and sat up, running his tongue over his slightly chapped lips before replying. "Yeah."

"Do you have any idea who these people are or what they want with you?" Lexi asked. "Or where we are?"

Alex sat up and leaned against the wall beside Lexi, surveying the room as he did so. It was about five meters by five meters of cool concrete walls, ceiling, and floors. Even the large metal door was gray, and the air vent was welded shut. There were no windows. They were alone. He began to speak.

~~~~~~~

"...and -then -he pressed the button, and it exploded. She-she was killed instantly, if she hadn't come to Egypt... If I had just said no... She'd still be alive; and now... I've dragged you into this too, and-" Josh-no, _Alex_ said, seemingly barely able to get the words out, tears streaming down his face.

Lexi pulled him into a hug. She was crying too. "Why couldn't I have just died on my first mission?" Alex whispered.

"Alex, I want to tell you something... about what happened to my mother, and younger sister." Lexi started then, just as Alex had poured out his whole story.

"My mom had gone to pick up Sarah, my younger sister from soccer practice. Dad was doing laundry, and my older brother Luke was busy volunteering with a search team to find a lost hiker about an hour away. Sarah's soccer practice had run late, probably because of a scrimmage game. They were about fifteen minutes late, and I was getting antsy. So... I decided to call mom and see where she was. She never answered the phone." Lexi's voice was shaky, and kept breaking, but she continued.

"They had been in a crash. Mom and Sarah... were both killed. Their car had gone off the road, into a tree. In the investigation, they found that the car had swerved to avoid several workers in a construction zone, but mom should have seen them long before she had to swerve to avoid them. Something drew her gaze away from the road for a few critical seconds. A phone call... _my_ phone call, had distracted her."

Lexi took a deep breath, and continued. "When Luke found out, he blamed me. Said that if I hadn't called her, she would still be alive right now. Luke's away at college now, but... Eventually I started to blame myself too. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and anxiety. It got really bad. Sometimes I would have an anxiety attack every day for a week. About seven months ago, I decided that I would give myself six months to straighten everything out, then I would kill myself."

Lexi looked at Alex's hands trying to judge his reaction, but afraid to see his expression. "But something changed. I met you. And I started to think that I truly loved you. Being with you made me happy, and even more then that, without even knowing it, you convinced me that those things the therapists said were true. It wasn't my fault, it was an accident. My life did have meaning, and I _deserved_ to be happy."

Now Lexi looked straight into Alex's eyes. "So don't feel guilty for something that isn't your fault, you didn't kill Jack, and you haven't condemned me. You've saved my life."

There was a moment of silence, then Alex said the only thing he could think of. "Thank you." He whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm cutting it close here, aren't I? I will try to update a bit faster, 'cuz this is a short chapter.**

 **Please review, because if you don't, I won't know what you want in this story, and that makes me anxious. It doesn't take that long, and I don't really mind it being anonymous. The bottom line is that everyone will be happier. Constructive criticism is okay, but no burning at the stake.**

 **You may now proceed to the story.**

 **I don't own Alex Rider. My cat hides from thunder.**

 **TTFN,**

 **~Ramona**

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Alex and Lexi sat in silence for several minutes following their exchange.

"So, now what?" Lexi asked eventually, breaking the stillness that had fallen over them.

Alex stood, saying, "Let's look for surveillance devices, or a way out." Lexi nodded in agreement, and the two teens spent the next hour searching the room.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

The end of the hour saw Lexi and Alex sitting in the corner, their thorough search having revealed nothing. "You find anything?" Lexi asked Alex, whose reply was, "No. We can't escape right now, but they have no idea of what we're doing in here." Then the spy continued, "Which means that I can tell you that with any luck, the CIA and MI6 should know where we are by now."

Lexi's ears seemed to perk up with curiosity. "How?" She demanded, looking more like a feline in that instant than the seventeen-year-old girl that she was.

Alex smirked at her, saying in his most serious voice and a frown, "Careful, curiosity killed the cat."

Lexi, knowing that this was his way of joking, made a face, slapping Alex lightly on the arm and retorting with the continuation of the saying. "But satisfaction brought it back. Now spill."

Alex held up his hand indicating a small, smoky gray men's ring on his right ring finger. It had a piece of onyx placed in it, nearly completely unnoticeable. "This," Alex said in an overly dramatic whisper, "is an emergency beacon that is transmitting our GPS location as we speak, leading government agents to our location."

"Drama queen." Came Lexi's reply.

Before Alex could reply, noises sounded from behind the door, and the room's two occupants stood on high alert. This was a change from the absolute silence that had formerly come from behind the door. Then the door opened, and the lackies who had kidnapped the teens from the cinema entered the room.


	10. Chapter 10

**I don't own** ** _Alex Rider_** **or the** ** _BCP_** **. I do nutty things when I'm tired; for instance, one morning I thought that my cat wanted to take a shower with me. I was very, very wrong and the situation did not end well. The End.**

 **Please note that this chapter expresses my religion, and you do not have to agree with it to continue the story. If you don't want to read it, skip from the break with five of these: _/ to where there are four, which is pretty much the end.**

 **God bless you all.**

 **_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/**

 ****The black-clad men were on the two teenagers almost immediately after they entered the room. Three men slammed Alex into the wall, pinning him against it. Two more men repeated the action with Lexi, and two more men were standing by as backup.

An eighth man entered the room. He was dressed in a tailored gray suit, and wore no mask. the man looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, and multiracial. Then the man spoke. "Hello Alex," he nodded his head towards Alex, "and miss Lexington." He nodded his head towards Lexi. "My name is Marco Kurst, I believe you know of my father?"

 **_/_/_/_/_/_/_/**

 ****Fifteen minutes later, Lexi found herself in a room almost identical to the first, save for the two metal remote - controlled restraining chairs bolted into the ground facing one another. Unsurprisingly, these chairs were rather uncomfortable. Alex also found it unsurprising than Kurst had used the time to inform the minors that while the arrest of Zeljan Kurst, SCORPIA board member and Marco's father, had led to Scorpia's _official_ disbandment, a few wealthy factions still remained.

Kurst finished his informative monologue and signaled for his men to secure Alex and Lexi to the chairs. With another wave of his hand, the men left and a nurse entered the room, carrying a small blue tray with two purple gloves and a syringe.

"What's that?" Alex asked. "It had better not be a flu shot," Lexi added. "I've already had mine." "It is neither." Kurst said. "This is an experimental drug we've been working on, thus far, it works like a charm. It causes extreme pain, followed by death. However, the time till death ranges greatly, as it is still experimental."

"I have decided to take a page from Dr. Three's book when it comes to the best way to torture you, Alex. We will inject this young lady with Epicurus, and she will die in front of you, in your very arms." By now Alex and Lexi were struggling against their restraints, and anything else Kurst had to say was drowned out by Alex's cursing.

As the needle approached, Lexi's struggles grew more and more frantic, but to no avail. Lexi felt the needle pierce her skin, felt a burning sensation begin to spread through her arm. Then Kurst and the nurse left, locking the door behind them. A minute later, the restraints released.

Alex ran over to Lexi, who sat down heavily. She already felt the effects of the Epicurus, aside from the burning, black splotches flickered at the edge of her vision, blood seemed to rush through her ears, and the wold seemed to have retreated. It reminded her of when she had fallen ice skating and hit her wrist. Lexi supposed that she was probably in shock. Lexi looked up, vaguely aware of Alex's hand on her shoulder, and of the way he kept repeating her name.

"You okay?" Lexi said. Was she slurring? Lexi thought she was slurring.

 **_/_/_/_/_/_/**

"Lexi, Lexi." Alex said, trying to get her attention. Lexi looked up at him woozily, her eyes not quite focusing.

"You m'kay?" She asked, slurring her words.

"Yeah, Lexi, I'm okay. How about you?" He asked, trying to coax an answer out of her.

"M' arms on fire." She stated. "S' not your fault. Wish had marshmallows..." She tailed off. Alex was quiet as Lexi leaned against him muttering "rely tired." Alex sat with his back against the wall and Lexi's head and upper back in his lap

"S' all right," Lexi said. "God's got me, worst happens I see Sarah n' Mom."

A few tears rolled down Alex's face as he played with her hair. "Yeah, I can introduce you to my parents."

 **_/_/_/_/_/**

By now Lexi was crying too. "You been Baptized?" she asked.

Alex shook his head. "Sabina has been taking me to church, but I wanted to wait until after you got back from Honduras."

"I can do it now." Lexi said. "I present Alexander Johnathan Rider to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. Do you wish to be baptized?"

"I do." Alex said, noting that the slur had receded.

"Do you renounce Satan and the forces of wickedness?"

"I renounce them."

"Do you renounce the evils of this world?"

"I renounce them."

"Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from God's love?"

"I renounce them."

"Do you accept Jesus as your savior?"

"I do."

"Do you place your trust in God?"

"I do."

"Will you follow God and obey Him as your Lord?"

Alex helped Lexi sit up in a corner.

"I do."

"God, we thank you for water, please sanctify this water and bless us through your Holy Spirit that we may be cleansed of sin and join in the life of Christ."

Lexi brought a small bottle of tea tree oil out of her pocket before continuing; "God, please bless this oil, that those sealed with it in Lord Jesus's eternal priesthood."

"Alex, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" Every time Lexi named one of the Trilogy, she wiped her tears through his her with her fingers."

Lexi tried unsuccessfully to open the small bottle of oil, before Alex opened it and handed it to her. Lexi dipped her finger in it.

"Alex you are sealed by the Holy Spirit by Baptism and marked as Christ's own forever." Lexi said as she drew a cross on Alex's head in the oil.

"We receive you into the household of God. Confess the faith of Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, and share with us in his eternal priesthood." Lexi declared. "Yay."

 **_/_/_/_/**

Alex smiled. Lexi really seemed to have regained her strength.

Noises sounded in the corridor, and the door opened again.

 **_/_/_/**

 **Did you know that members of the Episcopal church can preform an emergency Baptism with their own tears? Now you do.**

 **_/_/**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello, folks, it's been too long. Before I put this shield down, I would like to say thank you for not giving up on me.  
**

 **The wheel of excuses says that I could not write because I was temporarily turned into an orchid.  
**

 **Now here's the story.  
**

 **-RF  
**

 **_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/  
**

Alex leaped to his feet as the door swung open, standing protectively over Lexi. The door hit the wall with a clank as two men dressed in camouflage burst into the room brandishing guns. Alex stiffened. He recognized them.

"Hands behind your head, Kid. and get down on the ground." A deep, almost gravelly voice commanded.

Slowly, Alex raised his hands, palm outwards, before placing them behind his head and kneeling.

The gravely-voiced man with olive-brown skin gestured to the slightly thinner, fair-haired man who turned to speak to someone in the hallway. Gravely-voice (as Lexi had decided to call him) kept his eyes locked on Alex, lowering the barrel of his gun uncertainty.

"Cub?" Gravely-voice asked. "Is that you?"

_/_/_/_/_/_/

"Kid, what are you doing here? Wasn't that thing with SIS a one-time deal?" Wolf demanded.

Alex raised a wry eyebrow. "Apparently not. Who'd you get to replace Ben?"

"How did you- Never mind, not important. We're here to get you and your girlfriend out. Is that her?" Wolf nodded at Lexi.

"Unless he has a secret love interest, yes." Lexi said faintly, with a ghost of a smile.

"Is she okay?" Wolf asked.

"No." Alex said. "That lunatic Kurst injected her with some experimental drug he called Epicurus."

"Epicurus, shit. That's the stuff SIS said-" Wolf broke off his muttering and held a hand to his earpiece.

_/_/_/_/_/

"We have the compound secure, no sign of Kurst, though." Eagle informed Wolf over the coms.

"Well I just found the two marked for retrieval in basement level two, and we're gona need a med team here ASAP. Sounds like Kurst tried out his new wonder drug on the girl before he made a run for it."

"Shit." Eagle's response summed up the situation perfectly.

_/_/_/_/

The med team arrived not five minutes later. Quickly, they loaded both Lexi and Alex onto stretchers and into the waiting chopper. (Alex protested that he didn't _need_ a stretcher, but was ignored.) Soon after that they arrived at Fort Benning and were carted into the on-base hospital.


	12. Chapter 12

**Finally! A new chapter! It's still short though...**

 **The wheel of excuses says... I was researching WWII memorabilia.**

 **I do not own Alex Rider. My cat's sister died. :'(**

 **Also, I am not a pharmacist.**

 **-RF**

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Alex had a nurse interrogating him about what he and Lexi went though. He told the nurse about the chloroform, being tied down, and the Epicurus. The nurse examined his head where it had been slammed against the wall and took him to get a CAT scan as a precaution. When he finished, Alex asked the nurse if he could see Lexi.

"I'll look into it." Was all he said before disappearing. Alex waited impatiently, fretting about Lexi. The nurse returned a few minutes later. Before either could get a word out, Sabina pushed past the man and ran to the bedside.

"Alex! Thank God you're okay!" Sabina enveloped him in a hug. "We were so worried-"

The nurse cleared his throat as Mr. and Ms. Pleasure entered the room.

"Unfortunately, you cannot see Miss Lexington at this time. However, you may have visitors. Your CAT scan looks good, and if your tox screen comes out clean. You can be released." The nurse said before ducking out of the room.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

An hour passed, and by now Alex had been released and sat in the hospital waiting room. He and the Pleasures had been briefed on the official story. That Alex had been kidnaped because Mr. Carter had been investigating a story that someone didn't want looked into.

Lexi's Dad sat next to the group as he waited for news, rapidly tapping his foot on the ground in anxiety.

"Mr. Carter?" A doctor asked as she entered the room.

"Yes?" He said. Jumping to his feet as Alex did when he first caught sight of the doctor.

"Your daughter is in stable condition. You may see her now."

Alex and Mr. Carter started to follow the doctor out of the room.

The doctor frowned as she caught sight of Alex. "Family only at this time." She said.

"No, no. It's okay. He's her boyfriend." Mr. Carter assured the woman.

The doctor gave Alex a sceptical look, but stayed silent as she led the two from the room. Within minutes, they were at the ICU. Lexi was lying in the bed, oxygen mask over her face, unconscious. Alex went to the far side of the bed, Mr. Carter to the near.

Alex noticed a machine with spinning parts nad a thin tube full of blood hooked up to Lexi. Faintly, he wondered what it did as he took Lexi's hand.

Mr. Carter sat on a chair next to the bed as the doctor explained Lexi's condition.

"Unfortunately, we don't know exactly what she was injected with, so treatment can be difficult. Right now, we're trying to lessen the effects of the drug by filling her blood, and treating symptoms as they arise. But beyond that, there is very little we can do. We'll keep her under observation until we're sure the drug is out of her system."

"Any ideas as to what it was the ******** stuck her with?" Mr Carter asked.

"We aren't sure." The doctor said with a sigh. "But it behaves like a mixture of heroin, PCP, and concentrated potassium chloride."

"Damn." Mr. Carter said.

"When will she wake up?" It was Alex this time.

"We don't know. It could be months."

Alex was distressed by the news. By that time he'd be long gone, relocated by witness protection. He may not get to say goodbye. He'll probably never see Lexi again, never know what happened to her.

He needed a plan.

_/_/_/_/_/_/


End file.
